Poughkeepsie Football Team Forfeits Game Over Bus Incident

The Saugerties Sawyers have already won Friday's game against the Poughkeepsie Pioneers. That's because of a forfeit due to an incident on the high school football team's bus.

Poughkeepsie superintendent Dr. Nicole Williams released a statement announcing the forfeit. Williams would not disclose the exact details, but said the disciplinary action was due to unsportsmanlike behavior by the Poughkeepsie players.

The Poughkeepsie Journal reports that a heated argument arose amongst the players on the bus during a ride back from Port Jervis. After losing 41-21, some team members began an argument that "escalated" on the way back home.

This has not been the first incident of the season for the Poughkeepsie Pioneers. Before a game against Hyde Park a couple of weeks ago some team members allegedly released a video containing a rant against their opponents, including a string of expletives that some say crossed a line.

The statement about Friday's game went on to say,

Our goal in the Poughkeepsie City School District is to build character, hard work, discipline, commitment, and sportsmanship through our robust program of interscholastic athletics. We set a standard of excellence with the goal that every Pioneer is a scholar and athlete.

We want to know what you think. Is forfeiting a game proper punishment? Is learning good sportsmanship more important than a winning record?